Twilight's Last Gleam
by AelWithAnX
Summary: Axel's story. How exactly he becomes a traitor to the Organization, how he becomes the one assigned to bring Roxas back or destroy him, and how he finally decides to aid Sora in the end. No definite pairings.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: WOOT! This is my first fanfic on So enjoy!

This is basically the story of what Axel was going through during the Kingdom Hearts 2 game; during gameplay, and when he isn't seen.

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters present therein, f'sho.

R&R PLEASE! Axel WILL give you cookies!

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The Hall of Empty Melodies had never sung a lonelier song. The tune of Axel's foots echoing from the floor to bounce about the walls and out to the night sky was fit enough to warn any Organization member near that he was in that mood again. The same mood that reoccurred day after day, involving a complicated mixture of depression, anger, and frustration. For the cocky pyro, that was not a convenient combination.

The red-haired man strode past Xigbar, who had stationed himself comfortably on a ledge. One of his guns rested on his lap, and the freeshooter was polishing it amidst the fact it already gleamed in the starlight.

"Axel, nice to see you roamin' around so late at night… Say, numero ocho, how's my baby lookin'? C'mon, you know she's beautiful-" Xigbar coaxed the rifle, lifting it up near his patched eye. Axel stopped in his tracks, his tattooed eyes wincing at Xigbar's lax comments.

"Do you really think I care, Xiggy?" Axel snapped, although his usual playful persona was quite evident in his aggravation. Xigbar floated down to the floor to meet Axel, showing off his gravity powers, which he did at any possible occasion. Rolling his eyes, Axel pushed past Xigbar and headed for the doorway.

"Woah woah there, fiery man… You in one of those stinky moods of yours again?" Xigbar asked, his gun dematerializing before it hit the ground after him. Axel spun around, his gloved fists tightening.

"What… You worried 'bout me?" he retorted. Xigbar snorted, and scratched at his graying hair.

"As if… Just surprised that you actually care about that little twerp leavin' n' all," Xigbar replied coolly. Axel felt the back of his throat burn, but he didn't say anything. "That kid didn't know what was good for him-"

"Maybe _we_ don't know what's good for us!" Axel shouted. Dead silence filled the empty hall. Xigbar, who always tried his best never to seem alarmed or taken aback, most certainly looked alarmed and taken aback.

"Duuuude… You need to take a chill pill or somethin'," Xigbar muttered. Axel ground his teeth, the burning sensation in his throat itched and he swore he would be able to breathe fire in a matter of seconds. A dark portal appeared to the right of Xigbar, and Xaldin stepped forth. Axel swore beneath his breath, this was just what he needed right now.

"What's going on Xigbar?" Xaldin asked bitterly, as if their argument had disrupted something _he_ was doing. Beyond his sideburns his beady eyes glared at Axel, knowing somehow he was the source of the trouble. Axel glared right back, hating the man's unnatural instinct at guessing things like that. It seemed like Xaldin was always out to get everyone in the Organization, despite his fierce loyalty to the idea of such an alliance.

"Oh, you know, the usual Axel-freaking-out-attitude-problem."

The Organization did not know Axel to easily flip out, which might've been the reason his behavior lately had them all scratching chins and head alike. Even if he did get into a fight, he would make sure it would be full of snide remarks and end with him as the easy winner. Yet this new, brash Axel was one nobody could say they were familiar with. To be honest, Axel didn't care what anyone in Organization XIII thought right then.

"Oh, really? The surfer boy thinks _I_ have a problem!" Axel growled, his fists igniting. Numbers II and III gazed down at the flames, II immediately summoning his guns while III held up a hand to stop the fight before it even started. Axel was almost relieved; knowing if both of them were up for a fight it would be him taking a whipping.

"Come now, children… We mustn't fight. Don't we remember what happened to our good friends Marluxia and Larxene?" Xaldin hinted.

Axel chuckled, and muttered quietly "Those fools had it coming." Already tired of this conversation, the flurry of dancing flames made a quick attempt to leave only to be once again deterred. The Superior decided to join the party, giving them all a good look before gracing them with his words.

"Now now, my fellow members. Why must we bicker and argue over nothing? Surely there isn't anything worthy enough to be fought over at the moment… So let's all settle down and make peace, shall we?" Xemnas offered. The other three cloaked figures didn't make any clear response, but their silence satisfied him. "Good, then-"

"Yeah, but you-know-who is getting all fussy again," Xigbar complained rather childishly. Axel shot him a death glare, but ran his gloved fingers through his crimson

hair innocently.

"So? Leave him alone, then… You're a big boy, Xigbar, I trust you can solve this problem on your own," Xemnas spoke nonchalantly, extending an arm to open up a portal. Xigbar grimaced, and crossed his arms in violent disagreement. "And Axel, meet me at the usual place right away."

The Superior left without another word, leaving Axel to suffer Xigbar mocking "ooooohhhh" at Xemnas's order. Xaldin rolled his eyes begrudgingly, and then left the balcony, and now the two members were all alone yet again.

"You're in troubbleee, little eight," Xigbar cackled, and then jumped into the air, becoming suspended upside down. After giving Xigbar quite an enthused obscene gesture, Axel vanished to meet Xemnas.

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A/N: OH MY! What ever could Xemnas want? Might it have to do with Roxas? Maybbeee… Maybbeee not. Comment to find out!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: All right for the second chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Axel, Roxas, or anybody else present in the loverly Organization. Nor, for that matter, do I own any Kingdom Hearts character at all. Tis a shame, really. They would be fun to own.

R&R, I beg you.

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Mumbling and groaning profusely, Axel walked forward to have the winding set of stairs up to The Altar of Naught greet him. For a moment Axel considered how easy it would be to simply not show up. Talking to Xemnas was like reliving college lectures from his previous life. College in his previous life was not fun. Sooner or later, while waiting, Xemnas would become obsessed with some 'ingenious' thought or other, and forget that he ever summoned the elusive number eight.

Taking one pained step up the stairs, he waited a moment before moving his other leg. He looked up, biting his lip at the platform above. He didn't even want to know what he was going to get from Xemnas this time. If there was one member of the Organization he hated talking to most, it would be Xemnas. Since Larxene died, the label had now officially been passed to the Superior. He couldn't even be smart with Xemnas! Now that was no fun at all in Axel's book. If he was lucky Xemnas would be sending him on a mission, that way he could be free of the Organization if only for a few days.

At last Axel had reached the top, and by then he had braced himself for an army of Dusks to come down upon him. However there were no Dusks, simply Xemnas all by his lonesome self.

Xemnas was often seen up there, crying out into space for Kingdom Hearts to come to him, as he was now. It was at these times Axel really thought Xemnas was a complete nutcase, but then he remembered Saix and saved the role of 'complete nutcase' to him. They never did get along…

Axel approached nervously, as if he was about to wake a beast that had been in a long, cozy nap. Outstretching his arm, and then his index finger, he poked Xemnas's shoulder and then backed away instinctively. Xemnas, who had assumed a position of worship towards the starry night sky, turned about slowly.

Responding in that eerily bland voice of his, Xemnas said "Ah, Axel. I'm glad you decided to visit so soon." Axel raised an eyebrow, and couldn't tell whether Xemnas recalled that he invited him or not. Calmly snapping his fingers, Xemnas watched as two chairs emerged from the floor. The chairs being rectangular and uncomfortable in shape, Axel couldn't help but feel he would've rather stood.

"I hope you don't mind if we just cut to the chase-"

"Why? You have some appointment to go brood somewhere?" Xemnas chuckled. Axel didn't enjoy the comment, but held his tongue. "Anyhow, if you so wish me to cut to the chase I shall. I have some pressing matters that may lead to the Organization's involvement-" Axel slid down in his chair, crossing his legs. Good, at least this meant he would be sent on some sort of mission or other.

"And it involves Roxas."

Axel froze in his seat. His left leg, which was haply bouncing over his right, fell down to meet the floor. His lips parted, peeling down until his jaw had literally dropped in surprise.

"You mean… You've heard news of him? Is he all right? Where is he?" Axel shouted. It had only been three days since the blondie had left, but three days was enough to make Axel go crazy. He realized yet again how dull the Organization was before number thirteen arrived, and was embarrassed that he took Roxas for granted. Xemnas didn't answer any questions, and Axel slowly sunk back in his seat. It didn't take Axel long to disregard his anxious counterpart, and return to his sly, surly self.

"So then it really is Roxas's departure that has had you out of sorts lately," Xemnas observed. Axel narrowed his eyes, not liking the feeling of being studied. Xemnas grinned at his inferior, and held out his hands.

"Well I suppose if you want to know all the details about your friend, I shall start at the beginning," the Superior declared. Axel waited impatiently, not appreciating the laidback manner Xemnas took towards revealing Roxas's whereabouts.

The pyro dug his fingernails into the armrests of his chair. Every second Xemnas let pass before speaking again built up more and more edginess in Axel. Xemnas watched him, as if he was drawing in pleasure from Axel's burning impatience. _Friggin sadist,_ Axel thought, his teeth nearly chattering by then.

"A certain man named DiZ, or who calls himself that, is stirring trouble for our little friend," Xemnas began, standing from his chair to pace. "DiZ is just some foolish alias. The man's real name is Ansem."

"Ansem? As in your old friend Ansem?" Axel inquired. The moment Xemnas had began talking Axel was drawn in. _So this character is causing Roxas trouble?_ This gave Axel new means to dig his nails ferociously into the chair. Xemnas flew about dramatically, his cloak dancing at his ankles.

"Friend?" Xemnas apparently found this gesture extremely amusing. "Hardly, number eight. More like a foolish teacher… Who now wants Roxas to play out his latest experiment." Axel didn't like the sound of experiment.

"Where is this DiZ? I'm sure I'll be able to take him out before you can say 'get to it number eight'," Axel reassured. Xemnas brought a hand to his chin, and let his eyelids shut for a while.

"I'm afraid it's not that easy, Axel," Xemnas started. Axel lifted himself from the chair, strolling casually to his Superior's side.

"C'mon, how is it not that easy?" Axel wondered, making a checklist in his mind of every mission that had been successfully completed by yours truly. When it came to the Organization in terms of most trustworthy, Axel would've been II. At least he liked to think he would've been II.

"DiZ, or Ansem, rather… Has Roxas locked inside a virtual reality, a duplicate of a world called Twilight Town," Xemnas breathed, peeling open his eyelids to gaze up at the vast night sky. "He's keeping him there while Sora's memories are being restored."

"Sora?" Axel jumped at the mention of the kid's name. It wasn't too long ago he had met him. It was a chilling feeling, seeing the other half of your best friend, but Axel managed to get over that fact. "He's not… He's not trying to," Axel couldn't even bring himself to say the words.

"Of course. Ansem plans to restore Roxas back to Sora, so he can regain his full strength and go on some sort of vengeful march against the Organization," Xemnas explained. Axel put his hands on the edge of the balcony, staring with deep hatred in his eyes down to the abyss.

"There's no way that's going to happen," Axel said arrogantly, pushing up off the balcony. "I'll find this town, I'll get Roxas back. No questions asked."

Xemnas let a quiet grin slip out the corners of his mouth. "Get to it number eight," he said.

Axel turned about abruptly and headed towards the stairs. He should've never let Roxas go. Now he was captured. Now he had to save him. He let this happen to him-

"Oh and one thing, Axel," Xemnas called as Axel put a foot on the first step. Axel didn't turn around, but listened attentively.

"Roxas has lost his memory. He won't remember this world, he won't remember the Organization, and he won't remember you."

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A/N: ;; Poor Axel! How will he react to this devastating information? How will he find this virtual Twilight Town? Review to see the next chapter!


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